Connector plug



Patented Feb. 20, 1951 UNIT ED STATES Oil 1F 1 C 13 $542,609 e'csssseron filfi Stanley-J. wyglenaowski, saiitii or'siri'gsi -J Application May'i27, 1947, seria1'1vb; 713M 15, ZCltiin's. (o1. ai -a r) v invention relates to a connector pliigrliairei ticu afl to a connector ummeted to provldle a; connection to standard: household power out lets of the prong receiving type;

Connector plugs'qf the type to which there;

vention relatescommonly project for; a distance of the order of an inch from the surface of the receptacle providing, the power oiitlet': Even where such receptacles ar'e'flush with the wallet the room served'by the outlet, the plugsproje'ct' into the room for a' suflicien't distance co-render itlikely to be accidentally displacedbyfpersons" in'the room, and occasionally to be broli'en.

It'isamong the objects of the present inven;

tior'l to provide a connector plug of theftypeldej scribed which will'lie flat against'the surface ofj the receptacle, and will project no more than half'an inch therefroml c c H It'fis a further object of thefinvention topro vide a' connector plugini which the amepuuet opening extendsat right angles'f to the" p ongs so that a pull up'ionhthe cable' does not're'adily disengage the plug from thesocket; I

It'is'a: further object of the invent on to pro vide a' plug of the type describedfwhich may be,

readily assembled and disassembled to the I end that the same will be compact, snmsietdmanu:

from a consideration of the following detaileddescription talgenrinconjunction-withthe accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a connector plug constructed-in accordance with the inven: tion; Figure 2 is a sectiontakenon the line 2 -2 of Figure l; Figure 3 is a front view partiallybrokentaway' with parts omitted;- v v I Figure41is a perspective view of one of the ne ii jr usr l figure 5" is aview similar to-Fi'gure-i showing a modified form of theprong -r and Figure 6 shows a perspective view of a modi' fied, form of the plug with the cable attached;

Referring more particularly to the drawing wherein like reference numerals refer tolike parts throughout, an electrical plug generally indicated by reference numeral ll comprises a square shaped receptacle I0 fabricated of insulating material and having its top open. A solid post 28 also fabricated of insulating maprong i 6 fabricated. of I conductivema ter al h'as a fiat head- Iii-on one end thereof positioned errone side of saidpcst and extends through the open top of said-receptacle. Thehead' 18 rests against the adjacent portions of said first andysecond ledges 50- and 20 respectively; A second prong I! fabricated of conductivematerial also has a flat head I9on one'end positioned onthe-other side of said postand extends through the open topof said receptacle with its head resting against theadjacent portions of saidfirst and: second ledges. A passage 25 branches into passages 21" and; .26" and extends inwardly from one side of the saidreceptacle for receivinga cable-such-as 43.:

A cover plate 13- fabricatedof insulating terial' surroundsthe adjacentporti'ons of prongs It and I! and is'receive'd within flange 5| and bears against the open top [2 of said receptacle III. A- securing element 29 extends through the cover plate and post 28 and secures said cover plate in position over the open top of said receptacle. The securing-means may includea nut 31 positionedin recess 32 and threaded onto fastenin'g means' Z 9; r c

It will benote'd that flange 51 provides asquare angles thereto" so thatthe'prongsw and I! would extend transversely of passage 2 5: This" arrangement is of material advantage since the cord may extend in difierent directions from the prongs l 6 and [1. Thus, regardless of the position of the wall receptacle that receives the plug, the plug may be adjusted so that the cord may hang down or in any other desired position. The ledges 20 and 50 may receive the heads [8 and IQ of prongs The"bounding wall of said receptacle l6 and IT in positions corresponding to the position of cover [3.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the invention provides a construction in which the connector plug lies fiat against the prong receiving receptacle, and need project from the surface thereof only for a distance equal to the smallest dimension of the plug. This dimension may be of the order of one half inch or less. It will also be apparent that, in the form of the invention shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the plug may be readily assembled or disassembled.

Obviously various modifications may be made from the embodiment of the invention described in the foregoing. The prongs I6 and I! need not necessarily be constructed in the manner shown in Figure 4. For example, where desired, the prongs may be constructed from a single strip cf suitable metal by crimping and bending the strip in the manner shown in Figure 5. Referring to this figure the prong 36 is formed of a strip or" metal crimped intermediate its length at 3? and 98 to provide the prong and head or tab portions which correspond functionally with the prong and head or tab portions i6 and I8 respectively of Figure 4.

The connector plug need not necessarily be constructed in the manner shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. Certain of the advantages of the invention may be obtained in a plug of the type in which the contact prongs are embedded in the molded insulating material, as shown in Figure 6. Referring to this figure the body of insulating material 40, which may, for example, be of soft rubber, has embedded therein the contact prongs 4i and 42. In this form of the invention the cable 43 is again disposed at right angles to the prongs. A pull of the cable does not readily disengage the plug from the socket. Again the plug body is relatively thin and flat and free from outward projections except the prongs, on either the receptacle face or the outer face of the plug.

Having thus described the invention what I claim is:

- 1. An electrical plug comprising a square shaped receptacle fabricated of insulating material and having its top open, a solid post fabricated of insulating material positioned within said receptacle substantially centrally "thereof and having one end fixedly secured to the bottom of said receptacle, the other end of said post terininating at a point spacedinwardly from the open top of the receptacle, said post being cut away inwardly from the other end completely therearound to form a ledge, the bounding wall of said receptacle being cut away inwardly from the open to completely around said receptacle to form a second ledge, said first and second ledges being in alignment with each other, a first prong fabricated of conductive material having a fiat head on one end positioned on one side of said post and extending through the-open top said receptacle and having its head resting against the adjacent portions of said first and second ledges, a second prong fabricated of conductive material having a fiat headon one end positioned on the other side of said post and extending through the open top of said receptacle and havingits head resting against the adjacent portions of said first and second ledges, there be ing a passage extending inwardly from one of the sides of and in communication with said receptacle for receiving a cable, and a cover plate fabricated of insulating material surrounding the adjacent portions of said first and second named prongs and bearing against the open top or" said receptacle and fixedly secured to the latter.

2. An electrical plug comprising a square shaped receptacle fabricated of insulating material and having its top open, a solid post fabricated of insulating material positioned Within said receptacle substantially centrally thereof and having one end fixedly secured to the bottom of said receptacle, the other end of said post terminating at a point spaced inwardly from the open top of said receptacle, said post being cut away inwardly from the other end and completely therearound to form a ledge, the bounding wall of said receptacle being cut away inwardly from the open top completely around said receptacle to form a second ledge, said first and second ledges, being in alignment with each other, a flange projecting from the bounding wall of said receptacle adjacent the open top and extending completely therearound, a first prong fabricated of conductive material having a fiat head on one end positioned'on one side of said post and exand having its head resting against the adjacent portions of said first and second ledges, a second prong fabricated of conductive material having a fiat head on one end positioned on the other side of said post and extending through the open top of said receptacle and having its head resting against the adjacent portions of said first and second ledges, there being a passage extending inwardly from one of the sides of and in communication with said receptacle for receiving a cable, a cover plate fabricated of insulating material surrounding the adjacent portions of said first and second named prongs received within said'fiange and bearing against the open top of said receptacle, and a securing element extending through said cover plate and post for securing said cover plate in position over the open top of said receptacle.

STANLEY J. WYGLENDQWSKI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Switzerland Dec. 16, 1930 

